The penguin enclosure that was thrown open to the public on 17 March 2017 and has attracted as many footfalls as controversy, has another reason to stay in the news.

The Watchdog Foundation's members, Nicholas Almeida and Godfrey Pimenta, who visited the Byculla zoo to catch the glimpse of Humboldt penguins earlier this week say they were surprised to see that the walls of the pool that house the penguins have developed cracks. The crack is 3mm-4mm wide.

The structure was built at a cost of Rs 25 crore. The Foundation has now alleged that the contractor, Highway Construction Company not only submitted fake documents to get the global tender sanctioned, but has also compromised on the quality of workmanship of the penguin exhibits.

Nicholas Almeida and Godfrey Pimenta have now demanded a thorough inquiry into the wastage of public money and immediate against the contractor.

This is not the first time the penguins are courting controversy. One of the eight penguins imported from Antartica last year died of an infection, sparking a civic and political debate over practicality of importing exotic birds at a high price. Political parties used the penguins as a contentious point during the civic elections this February. The penguins were finally shifted for public display in March and attracted huge footfalls.